Russian spy attempted murder - what should the UK do?

In fact, bmacca, considering that labour are called all names Russian, shouldn't it be the other way round?
Russia is no longer communist or Marxist, so why do labour supporters get tarred with those epithets?

Jane10 Me too, and I don't think this is the thread for squabbling over party politics.

So it's OK to question a Labour leaders links with a communist regime no longer in existence but not to question a link between wealthy Russians nd the government. And anyone who thinks the same immigration procedures are applied to an immigrant arriving penniless from, for example, Syria and a rich Russian oligarch with legal representation and property in the UK is living in cloud cuckoo land. Well the procedure may be the same but the wheels will be well oiled by cash. I bet there aren't many oligarchs in Yarl's Wood!

It's just degenerated into yet another slag the tories thread. No point in reading it.

Well they are the ones running the show Jane10!

Don't let us get distracted from this blatant and dangerous act by Russia. I'm feeling quite anxious about the outcome.

And don't let us think that only jingoism is the answer. This is and will be complex and if numbers of Russians have the ear of the government at this point I, standing up for my country and not the Conservative Party, want to know about it.

Don't let us get distracted from this blatant and dangerous act by Russia. I'm feeling quite anxious about the outcome.

I agree with you Jane10. I'm sure the UK has a pretty complex relationship with Putin. Europe is reliant on Russian gas, for example, and when a North Sea pipeline closed late last year, we started to import gas from Russia.

Let people argue about London property purchases and donations from Russian hedge fund managers if they want. I'm with you and there's a bigger picture here, with all sorts of implications which will be difficult to resolve. It is an anxious time. Especially dealing with someone like Putin!

I wonder why people posting on these News and Politics threads think that by saying the we should look at the interests of the country means only they and their right-wing views and right-wing party have the interests of the country at heart. It's insulting and I see no reason why those of us to the right of centre should not reply.

when a North Sea pipeline closed late last year, we started to import gas from Russia.
He holds more cards than we do. I think we are right to be worried.

I don't think that people are saying that at all Gracesgran, I think some posters think that we should perhaps be presenting a united front, not using this incident to further party divisions.

It's insulting and I see no reason why those of us to the right of centre should not reply
I am surprised to hear you state that, which would make you more to the right than me then.

this popped up on my FB page..its a different take on the "russian" issue.

12 mins ·
Stewart Roxburgh
27 mins ·

Before we get too excited about the Russians explaining how a powerful, deadly nerve agent can be transported to England (probably by Eurostar) and used to kill a former agent of theirs who then worked for the UK. Who knows what murky secrets he was responsible for but you don't get a tax-payer funded lifestyle in Wiltshire without having done something. Before you get excited about cutting off Putin's Sky account, not going to a World Cup or freezing assets of Russian crooks with homes in Kensington, just think of this as Goodfellas. A bunch of crooks bumping off each other across International borders without any recourse because they have the money and guns to keep people quiet. Any sanctions we apply from the UK (or elsewhere) will only hurt the Russian people and not the true culprits who conduct these blood feuds as if they were in a cheap B movie. So please don't disguise this as some sort of credible political action. It's a cheap attempted murder of two of their own people with the unfortunate and accidental addition of a British policeman who got in their way, conducted by a cheap crook and his cronies who just happens to have killed and robbed his way to the top of Russian society. If you want to do something? Put some money into Save the Children and rescue some children from Russian bombs in Syria. That's also about money by the way. Two crooks protecting their interests and clearing the way for some luxury condos.

I have heard someone else (journalist with knowledge of Russia but can remember his name) describing Putin as "not a politician but a gangster".

Tue 13-Mar-18 11:21:09 right of centre left of centre!

I don't think that people are saying that at all Gracesgran, I think some posters think that we should perhaps be presenting a united front, not using this incident to further party divisions.

But you only appear to want everyone to unite behind some views Jalima, not find a consensus.

Thanks for sharing this Paddyann,....... and so it goes on ( still!)

Thank you for the grin Jalima. The day we really get the left and right of politics muddle together I will know we have the centrist politics I hanker for.

Thanks for sharing this Paddyann,....... and so it goes on ( still!)

What goes on Bridgeit? People saying things you don't agree with and would therefore like to suppress in discussions? Not something most would see as democratic.

Read or reread Paddyanns’s post and interpret my post as you see fit GG.

Why not just clarify your post Bridgeit. The everyone could understand what you are trying to say. It would be helpful.

The Then

Because GG that is as much as I wanted to post, my prerogative I believe.

Thank you for the grin Jalima
I thought 'I bet GG is wishing there is an edit button' (I often do when I hit post without previewing)

I don't think edit would help me Jalima, although I appreciate it could help others. I check and double check - that was previewed several times. I have tried getting my software to read my posts back to me but it doesn't read the bit in box for some reason. In all honesty it takes me long enough to post what I do - that's often why I am a couple of posts behind. The idea of spending even more time on GN posts doesn't really appeal, I'm afraid.

when a North Sea pipeline closed late last year, we started to import gas from Russia.
Amended reply to this - a percentage of our gas comes from Russia via the EU:
www.britishgas.co.uk/the-source/our-world-of-energy/energys-grand-journey/where-does-uk-gas-come-from

I wasn't sure how much we took from Europe and if that was dependent on Russian supply to them, so thanks for that Jalima. Seems that we're pretty dependent on Russian gas then.